Geared air cycle machine fan for aircraft systems

Abstract

Aircraft air cycle machines include a housing, a shaft arranged within the housing, and a first wheel assembly operably coupled to the shaft and arranged within the housing. The first wheel assembly is configured to rotationally drive the shaft. A second wheel assembly is operably coupled to the shaft and configured to be rotationally driven by the shaft. A magnetic assembly is arranged within the housing and along the shaft. The magnetic assembly includes a stator assembly fixedly connected to the housing and a rotor assembly rotationally coupled to the shaft. The magnetic assembly is arranged along the shaft to provide a gear ratio between the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aircraft air cycle machine comprising:
 a housing;   a shaft arranged within the housing, the shaft comprising a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion;   a first wheel assembly operably coupled to the first shaft portion and arranged within the housing, wherein the first wheel assembly is configured to rotationally drive the first shaft portion;   a second wheel assembly operably coupled to the second shaft portion and configured to be rotationally driven by the second shaft portion; and   a magnetic assembly arranged within the housing and between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion, wherein the magnetic assembly comprises a stator assembly fixedly connected to the housing and a rotor assembly rotationally coupled to the first shaft portion, wherein the first shaft portion is operably coupled to the second shaft portion by a magnetic gear arrangement of the magnetic assembly that is configured to provide a variable gear ratio between the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly such that the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are configured to be selectively driven at different rotational speeds.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic assembly is an axial flux magnetic assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first wheel assembly is a turbine and the second wheel assembly is a fan. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , wherein the first wheel assembly is a turbine and the second wheel assembly is a compressor. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one mounting structure arranged to fixedly mount the stator assembly to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured direct electrical power into the stator assembly to generate a magnetic field. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to operate in a power input mode of operation to input rotational energy into the shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to operate in a power output mode of operation to extract energy from the shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 6 , wherein the controller is configured to operate in a bearing mode of operation wherein the rotor assembly is rotationally decoupled from the shaft, and the interaction of the rotor assembly and the stator assembly provides a bearing functionality to the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 9 , wherein the bearing functionality is at least one of an axial bearing functionality and a radial bearing functionality. 
     
     
         11 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one mechanical bearing arranged on the shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one mechanical bearing comprises at least one journal bearing. 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft air cycle machine of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one mechanical bearing comprises at least one thrust bearing. 
     
     
         14 . An aircraft environmental control system comprising:
 an air cycle machine comprising:
 a housing; 
 a shaft arranged within the housing, the shaft comprising a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion; 
 a first wheel assembly operably coupled to the first shaft portion and arranged within the housing, wherein the first wheel assembly is configured to rotationally drive the first shaft portion; 
 a second wheel assembly operably coupled to the second shaft portion and configured to be rotationally driven by the second shaft portion; and 
 a magnetic assembly arranged within the housing and along between the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion, wherein the magnetic assembly comprises a stator assembly fixedly connected to the housing and a rotor assembly rotationally coupled to the first shaft portion, wherein the first shaft portion is operably coupled to the second shaft portion by a magnetic gear arrangement of the magnetic assembly that is configured to provide a variable gear ratio between the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly such that the first wheel assembly and the second wheel assembly are configured to be selectively driven at different rotational speeds. 
   
     
     
         15 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , wherein the magnetic assembly is an axial flux magnetic assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , wherein the first wheel assembly is a turbine and the second wheel assembly is a fan. 
     
     
         17 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , wherein the first wheel assembly is a turbine and the second wheel assembly is a compressor. 
     
     
         18 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one mounting structure arranged to fixedly mount the stator assembly to the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , further comprising a controller configured direct electrical power into the stator assembly to generate a magnetic field. 
     
     
         20 . The aircraft environmental control system of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one mechanical bearing arranged on the shaft.